Strange aquaintances
by Dr Snrubs
Summary: After losing her job for a year a woman unwillingly (and without knowing what she is doing) gets a job a Hogwarts in the 4th year. She is to stay in a room joining Snape and he (like in most cases) dislikes her. Its good i swear
1. Yes & No

A/N: I had to fix it up I started to lose the plot Most of it is the same, but the plot is slightly different. . I think now it'll make more sense or I hope it will.  
  
Disclaimer: Do we really need to go though this... oh why not...none of these charters belong to me... They belong to J.K Rowling well except for Ellen and any of her friends. If you notice any familiar dialog that's probably not mine either. So basically any thing that doesn't sound original it probably isn't mine. OK?  
  
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Ellen Grey burst into her apartment and tossed her keys onto the bench  
  
'So?' Said her friend Jane eagerly  
  
'What?' Ellen knew perfectly what she was talking about  
  
'Did you get the job?'  
  
Ellen sat down before answering 'Short answer no, with a but. Long answer yes, with an if.'  
  
'And what your saying is?' Jane didn't seem to follow.  
  
'Ok I've got the job. But the old guy that was supposed to retire realised that he couldn't get his pension for another year. So now I'm stuck in limbo because my job has already been filled.  
  
'I see... Well goodbye' Jane got up moved to the door  
  
'Wait! Where are you going?'  
  
'To work, something you suddenly don't have. See you later. I'll get dinner.' Ellen grumbled a goodbye.  
  
* Jane brought back pizza and vodka for dinner. Halfway though the pizza Jane asked:  
  
'Are you depressed Ellen?'  
  
'What? No. Why?'  
  
' Well its just you haven't said much.'  
  
' Oh... I'm just thinking. But I'm not depressed. Its not like I've lost my job forever, it's only for a year.'  
  
'Well actually Elle,' She paused looking for the right words, (the right words coming from the Simpsons) ' I'm going to be honest with you. And when I mean honest, I mean devastating.  
  
'Yes?'  
  
Jane couldn't hold what she was going to say in any longer. ' You'll need to get a job. Because lets face it, London is not the cheapest place in the world and we are struggling as it is.'  
  
' I know, I know. -'  
  
' I haven't finished. And seeing as you have this chance I think you should try something different or somewhere different.'  
  
Ellen could see where this was going 'You want to get a new room-mate don't you?'  
  
'Yes, but there is no pressure. I mean I don't want to get rid of you it's just that I want to see what it is like living with a total stranger.'  
  
'I will find something Jane just give me a week or two.'  
  
*  
  
Ellen was meant to be spending the next couple of day looking for something "Different" to do. But she couldn't be bothered. So she spent most of the day in her pajamas watching television. Jane who came home unexpectedly from work rudely interrupted this process.  
  
'Hello. What are you doing back? You weren't fired were you?' Ellen asked not taking her eyes off the commercial for pre-sliced cheese.  
  
'No.' Jane was annoyed that Ellen hadn't done anything since she had left that morning. ' I forgot something. Aren't you meant to be finding a job?'  
  
' I'll do it tomorrow.' Ellen wined  
  
'I bet you will say that every day for a year until you go back to work.'  
  
' Damn! you stumbled on my plan.' She said sarcastically  
  
Jane retrieved what she had left behind and was about to leave when she suddenly went to the window. ' You should let some light in here. It can't be good for your eyes.'  
  
'What were you born forty?'  
  
'Shut up!' Jane pulled up the blinds and gave a cry of surprise.  
  
'What?' Ellen asked  
  
'That cat is back' She answered then added 'don't feed it, Ellen. It'll come back and then we will have millions. Did I ever tell you about my Aunt Josephine?'  
  
'Yes, she turned into the cat lady or something.' Jane rolled her eyes then left.  
  
Ellen ignored Jane and gave the cat a saucer of milk. She put the milk away and when she turned back her eyes met a surprising sight. An old woman was standing in the middle of her living room.  
* 'If your planning to rob me you picked the wrong person to F**k with lady.'  
  
'I know this may be a little strange but bare with me.' Ellen didn't know what the response would be but this was not what she expected.  
  
'Please get out of my house. NOW!' Her voice was calm and steady (it always was in these situations)  
  
'Could you just listen to me for one moment then I'll go.' Ellen gave in there was nothing else she was planning for today.  
  
'What do you want?'  
  
'I'll get strait to the point, you need a job and I can offer you one.'  
  
'You're a complete stranger that appeared in my living room and your offering me a job?'  
  
'Yes that's right.'  
  
'I see what kind of job are you offering me?'  
  
'I'm offering you a job at a private boarding school, as an assistant for the teachers. Its not a very flashy but one the plus side you can start straight away and you can stay at the school.'  
  
'And that's it. You came into my house just to say that? '  
  
'Not originally but the opportunity came up. Do you believe in magic?  
  
'What has that got to do with anything?'  
  
'A lot actually, you see this is a school for children with magical ability.'  
  
'Ah, Huh, magic you say. Listen if you are going to try and kill me. I tell you know don't try. And if you want to get me joined in a scam, that's great but I'm the wrong person to talk to. And if you have some way of proving this magic business, I'm all ears.  
  
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A/N Hmmmm.... Did you like it? It would be nice if you would review But I can't make you (  
  
Soon Chapter 2  
  
I promise I'll update this one 


	2. A strange beginning

Ahh... no reviews ( oh well I'll write it anyway. (Well to an extent if on one's reading it then there is no point)  
  
************************************************************************ Chapter 2. A Strange Beginning  
  
A few days before start of the term Ellen Grey followed Professor McGonagall up the stairs to Hogwarts castle; she felt incredibly stupid and wasn't quite sure how she got into this, but she needed a job and this was it. The whole concept of witches and wizards was ridiculous, she had dismissed the fact that such things were real when she was ten, but to now be proved that there are such people was unbelievable. Surprisingly it wasn't very hard to explain where she was going to Jane. All she did was tell the truth up to the part about magic.  
  
Before her arrival Professor McGonagall had hurriedly explained some elements of their world. Which was basically just:  
  
1. Magic -  
  
E.g. Spells, charms potions ect. Owls-  
Carrying post ect. And that things like radios, TV's ect. Didn't work.  
  
Professor McGonagall opened the big oaken doors of the castle.  
  
'I'll take you up to see the headmaster '  
  
After walking up many flights of stairs Professor McGonagall stopped in front of a brick wall and said something. Ellen didn't hear exactly what she said but she was sure it involved the word chocolate. Whatever it was it made the wall open, revealing a stone staircase.  
  
She stopped Ellen before going up the stairs and said:  
  
'Just before I introduce you to the Headmaster there is just one thing I've been meaning to tell you.. I told Dumbledore that though you are from the non-magical world, you know some things, as your Aunt was a which. I hope you don't mind but it is very hard to find someone who is willing to take this job'  
  
'No' Ellen answered 'that's fine. But surely there would be someone in this world who would take the job.'  
  
' To be honest with you I didn't ask anyone from this world as there has been some...-' She stopped looking nervous 'incidents.' 'What kind of incidents' Ellen asked, it suddenly dawning on her that maybe it wasn't a good idea to take a job from someone who came from another world.  
  
'Oh... nothing major, but there have been some incidents concerning... He who must not be named.'  
  
'He who must not be named? Who is that.'  
  
'Ughh... you'll find out in time.'  
  
She beckoned Ellen into a circular room full of silvery objects; an old man with a long silver beard was sitting behind a desk. He looked up as they entered.  
  
' Miss Grey how nice to finally meet you, I'm Albus Dumbledore the headmaster. Please, do sit down' He lent over his desk to shake her hand.  
  
He motioned to a chair in front of the desk.  
  
' I can't believe that Minerva managed to find a willing assistant and a muggle too. We wouldn't normally need one, but this year is going to be an especially busy one with the Triwizard Tournament and all.'  
  
Half of these words Ellen didn't understand but she acted though she did, nodding politely in agreement.  
  
'So what now?' she asked when nobody said anything for a few moments  
  
'Well if you don't have any questions?'  
  
'Yes. How do you know I'm not going to expose you to the outside world? '  
  
' Would you?'  
  
Ellen paused thinking about his question.  
  
'Probably not.' She answered honestly  
  
'Well then, anything else?'  
  
'I don't think so.'  
  
'Professor McGonagall, Have you worked out a place for Miss. Gray to stay?  
  
'There is a spare room next to Professor Snape. Is there not?  
  
Dumbledore's eyes sparkled with her remark.  
  
' I do believe there is.'  
  
He got up and followed them to the door 'If you have any questions about anything don't be afraid to come and see me. I suggest that once you get settled that you have a bit of a poke around. Have a look where you'll be working.'  
  
Ellen was worried. Part of the conversation seemed very phony. Maybe. She thought. They were going to put her in the dungeons with the cave trolls or something.  
  
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	3. Professor Snape

A/N Hello? Is anyone reading this? I guess not. If you are please review so I know that you are. Even give me a bad review.  
  
Chapter 3. Professor Snape  
  
Ellen followed Professor McGonagall back down the stairs they came and even further down into what looked like dungeons. This meant that so far she was half right she was being put in the dungeons. They stopped in front of a plain wooden door.  
  
'Sorry to rush you around like this, but you know start of term everyone has things to do. Professor Snape will unwillingly show you where you will be staying ' McGonagall rapped hard on the door.  
  
'What?' Someone barked from inside.  
  
McGonagall opened the door and stepped inside. The room was chilly and was filled with jars containing strange looking things bottled in different colored mixtures. A man was sitting behind a desk in the middle of the room, writing. He had shoulder-length black hair. He did not look up as they entered.  
  
'This is Miss Grey;' McGonagall declared to the man ' The Headmaster has told me that she is to occupy the room next to yours.' Snape suddenly looked up at her with a look of agitation on his face ' He asks you if you would be so kind to show her the room and get her settled. If you excuse me I have some work I need to finish.' Ellen watched at her as she left the room. She figured that the headmaster and McGonagall must have it in for this Snape character because by the look on his face this was not what he wanted to be doing. Ellen cleared her throat hoping to catch Snape's attention as he was still looking out the door after McGonagall.  
  
'So' he said examining her closely 'you are the hired help.' His voice was deep with a pleasing accent. Unfortunately he was using it to mock her. Ellen could tell that she was not what he expected. And that he didn't know what to say after that.  
  
'Maybe you were expecting a plump middle-aged bore. With a checked apron and fifties style dress? Ellen had decided that being forward was the best action.  
  
' Yes. Something like that.' He muttered  
  
'Ellen Grey at your service' She held her hand out for him to shake  
  
It took Snape a moment to decide how to react to this. But he reluctantly shook her hand and exchanged his name 'Severus Snape.' He got up and pushed his chair under his desk 'Follow me.' he strode past her. Ellen followed him out and down the corridor a little way until they reached a portrait of an angry looking old man sitting in a green armchair.  
  
Snape turned and faced her, he was a little taller then she was and unnaturally pale. Maybe he's sick. Ellen thought.  
  
'This is your bedchamber;' He said interrupting her thoughts.' the painting opens into your room. Any questions?  
  
Snape turned to look at the old man in the portrait  
  
'Hello Severus' the man in the painting said.  
  
'This is Miss Grey you see her and let her in.' the old man looked at Ellen.  
  
'With pleasure.' He said winking at Ellen. The Portrait swung open they both walked in.  
  
' Did that painting just speak?' She thought it was odd but not surprising.  
  
Severus didn't give her an answer.  
  
The room was dimly lit. Severus gave a very brief tour of the room.  
  
' Bed.' He pointed to the four-poster king-size bed in the middle of the room. 'And bathroom.' He opened a door that nearly blended in with the rest of the room. Then quickly snapped it shut again.  
  
'Enjoy' He said sarcastically. Then left.  
  
Ellen shrugged; Professor Snape was not a very social man. But then again she didn't really care.  
  
Ellen didn't think that her room would be so big. All of her bags were already in the room, laid neatly at the base of her four-poster bed. She wondered how they that but didn't dwell on it. On one side of the room there was a desk and next to that there was a small bookcase, on the other side there was an old wooden wardrobe. Ellen walked into the bathroom. It was plain stone lined with a mirror and sink on one side, and an old looking bath and shower on the other. The toilet was in the corner. Snape had very little items in the bathroom, one towel a bar of soap and a bottle of shampoo. No razor, no brush? Ellen thought to herself she looked at the bundle of bathroom items in her arms; Soaps, numerous shampoos and conditioners, creams and lotions along with her make-up box, she set them down and arranged them neatly in the corner closest to her door. After Ellen put everything in its new place she decided to take Dumbledore's advice and have a prowl around.  
  
After wandering aimlessly around the castle Ellen found that indeed all the paintings did talk and it was very unnatural. Going down the stairs on the fifth or there about floor (she had lost count.) her leg fell through one of the steps and got stuck.  
  
Snape after leaving Ellen decided that he had better have a talk with Dumbledore about this new arrangement. He found him outside the library.  
  
'Ah, Severus how did you find our new assistant?'  
  
'Well, that's what I want to talk to you about.' Dumbledore raised his eyebrows ' I wasn't aware that you would put her in the room next to mine. There are plenty of other rooms in this castle.'  
  
' Yes there are plenty of rooms in the castle that's why I put her where I did.' That remark made no sense to Severus. But he knew it meant not to argue so he went to his next defense.  
  
' I don't know if she knows anything about magic. I wouldn't be surprised if McGonagall pulled her off the streets.'  
  
' I doubt Minerva would be so careless. Miss. Grey seems very nice.'  
  
'Yes, but-' He was cut off with Dumbledore saying  
  
' I must rush off.' And he walked away. Severus was beaten.  
  
Ellen had been sitting stuck in the stair for who knows how long and was quite uncomfortable.  
  
'Miss Grey?' Ellen jumped she hadn't heard Snape come. And he didn't sound impressed.  
  
'Oh, Jeeze you scared me.' Ellen craned her neck back to look at him. 'Could you help me out I seem to be stuck in the stair, and its really painful' Snape raised his eyebrows at her 'per-lease?' He sighed.  
  
'Fine.' He came around in front of her and put both of his hands under her arms and yanked her out.  
  
'Thank you' she said holding onto the banister and rubbing her leg trying to get the feeling back. Snape started back down the stairs. Ellen followed, and added  
  
. 'You really don't like me do you?' Snape made no reply 'It's ok I don't care. You can think of me whatever you like'.  
  
'Good.' Snape then turned sharply to face her. So sharply that Ellen lost her balance and fell into Snape. He wasn't ready for this and fell backwards. So they both tumbled down the stairs with a mixture of curses and cries of pain. Snape hit the bottom first, followed by Ellen who landed on top of him with a thud and for some reason a clink that sounded like glass hitting together. After a few moments when she had realized what had happened rolled off of him with a groan.  
  
'Ouch...' Ellen rolled on her side to look at him. Professor Snape still lying on his back motionless. 'Oh no I've squashed him.' She breathed. She crawled over and took a better look at him he was definitely unconscious.  
  
Please please please Review!!!!!  
  
I'll like your boots that's got to be worth something. I've never seen anyone do that have you? 


	4. Actions

A/N YAY!! Thanks for reviewing dragonwing and AbbyAbberline I'm glad to know people are reading this. If you don't mind I'm going to use a small bit of swearing just to illustrate a point and Ellen's personality. If there is a problem tell me.   
  
Chapter 4 Actions  
  
'Shit!' For once in this situation Ellen didn't know what to do. 'Fuck!' She got up. Fortunately she wasn't badly hurt. though she was still dazed from the fall, altering her ability to think. Finally she decided that it was best to go get someone. She was starting back up the stairs when she heard Snape groan below her. Ellen jumped back down the stairs to help him. 'Don't move you could be badly hurt.' He was already sitting up wan she got to him.  
  
'I'm fine.'  
  
'You sure, I thought I squashed you.'  
  
'I hardly think you could "squash" anyone' Severus sat up rubbing his head and looking at her small frame.  
  
' It's lucky you broke my fall.' She tried to be humorous.  
  
'Glad to be of service.' he sneered. Snape pulled himself up painfully  
  
'I'm really, really, really truly sorry. Are you sure ok?' Snape watched her, no one had ever said sorry to him before, and meant it.  
  
'It's unimportant' he replied silkily  
  
' It isn't if you are hurt'  
  
'I'm fine.'  
  
' Good. You sure?'  
  
'Yes!' he said getting agitated  
  
'Ok sorry.' Snape walked away. Ellen was sure he was hurt but too proud to show it.  
After the incident Ellen thought it would be safe to just go back to her room and read something. She also thought it best that she stayed away from Professor Snape, as he obviously didn't like her. The fact that they were to share the same bathroom was a problem. So she wrote him a polite note to him.  
  
After reading five chapters of: "The Memory Game" Ellen was wondering about her roles at the castle. So she decided to go find McGonagall for some reassurance. It took about an hour and a half to find McGonagall as she got lost so many times while trying to avoid the stairs on which she got stuck. When she finale found her, McGonagall was just leaving.  
  
'Oh Miss Grey, you wanted to ask me something?'  
  
'I just wanted to know about my roles here in the castle, what I'm really doing.'  
  
'Well I have to go to Hogsmead right now, but all will be explained at the meeting tonight after dinner in the Great Hall which is at six.' McGonagall left rather quickly after that leaving Ellen standing in the doorway of her office.  
  
Before dinner Ellen picked out her most nice but casual clothing. A white shirt and brown flared chords would be nice enough. She was a bit worried because she didn't know how people would react to her. She didn't dress like she was part of the magical world nor did she know anything about it.  
  
At the Great Hall there was a small cluster of people milling around a table in the center of the room, three other tables were pushed to the walls. Ellen sat down next to a woman with extremely wind-blown hair. The dinner was pretty quiet, Ellen was only asked a few questions, mainly:  
  
'Who are you?' And  
  
'What are you doing here?'  
  
After the hushed dinner, Ellen followed the other teachers to the common room. She edged to the back of the room and lent against the wall to remain unnoticed. The room slowly filled with people that were not at dinner including a woman with big glasses and about five shawls wrapped around her shoulders and a giant man. Everyone was chatting among themselves except Ellen, who was too shy to talk to anyone, and Snape who was sitting in a low armchair by himself. When Dumbledore stood up and cleared his throat the chatting slowly died down.  
  
'Welcome all.' He started beaming at everyone 'I'm glad everyone has made it. I know everyone is anxious about the Dark Mark scare that happened at the Quiddich World Cup but I assure you that nothing will come of it.'  
  
' How can you be sure?' Someone asked in the pause.  
  
'Well... ok I can't but we are alright here.' Ellen notice some peoples gaze rest on Severus.  
  
'The Triwizard tournament that will be starting this year.' Dumbledore went on ' As you know there will be two other schools attending your time will be very strained after Halloween so I have brought another addition to our staff. This is Miss Grey,' he motioned to her to come forward. 'She will be around to attend to your every whim.' He smiled. ' As you see on the table before you there are different coloured stones.' As Ellen looked the table was covered with different stones all about the size of your palm. 'Before the end of this meeting' He continued 'Miss Grey will have given you one each. After you get your stone you can push it down and Miss. Grey will come to you after receiving the colour of your stone on this.' Then out of his pocket he pulled a wristband with a giant clear stone on it. 'May I?' He slipped the band onto her wrist. And she went back to leaning against the wall.  
  
' Now the other addition to our staff is not here right now. Our new Defense against the dark arts Teacher will be Alistair Moody who will arriving soon.' Again Ellen noticed that gazes shifted to Snape.  
  
The rest of the meeting was about the Tournament that was to happen later that year. But all that Ellen was thinking was how to distribute the coloured stones to everyone. She decided to give them out according to the colours that reminded her of them. But the problem was that she didn't know them well enough to colour code them. When the meeting had finished she asked everyone nicely to tell her what he or she taught. Before giving anyone anything she slipped the ebony stone into Snape's lap.  
  
A/N SO? What do you think? There can only be improvements. If you have any suggestions I'd like to hear them. ( I may not use them but I like to know what people think) Either by REVIEW or E-MAIL  
  
pork97hotmail.com.  
  
Cheers 


	5. some fun

A/N I forgot what I was going to write for this chapter so I hope this turns out right!!!!!!!! P.S this story does have a plot.  
  
Chapter 5. Some fun  
  
When Snape got back from the meeting he walked into the bathroom and stuck to the mirror, (with some kind of strange blue stuff) was a note. It read:  
  
Dear Mr. Snape,  
  
I know you don't like me very much and I don't mind. And I know you would rather me not seen or heard. So that is what I will try and be for you.  
  
Signed  
  
Ellen Grey. (The hired help.)  
  
Good. Snape thought screwing up the note, she understands me.  
  
The lack of light in her room and the fact that it wasn't the warmest place she had ever slept in made Ellen wake early.  
  
As she walked briskly down she pulled a gray jumper over her head. Entering the Great Hall she was pleased to find that though she had woken early there were still quite a lot of teachers eating. Ellen sat down hoping to join someone's convocation. She took an apple from a bole in front of her. Ellen had always despised cereal she never ate it and if she did it was the chocolate kind and she used very little milk.  
  
'How are you Miss Grey?' A woman started. It was the astrology teacher Professor Sinistra.  
  
'Please call me Ellen.' There was an awkward silence. Ellen took a mouthful of what she presumed to be orange juice then spat it back into her glass disgusted.  
  
'Ugh...that is awful.' Sinistra covered a smile 'It tastes like... cold, watery pumpkin soup.'  
  
' It's pumpkin juice it helps fuel magical ability.' Sinistra said matter- of-factly  
  
'Well it tastes like crap.' Professor Sinitra got a empty cup and pored some water into it. Ellen took it and sculled the whole lot in one go.  
  
'Thank you, that stuff was awful. Do people actually drink it?' 'I guess different people have different tastes.' Ellen nodded wiping her mouth with her sleeve.  
  
'My job is official today so if you need anything just press your stone and I'll come help you.'  
  
No one seemed to need an assistant until the middle of the day. When the clear stone on her wristband turned orange. The orange stone was McGonagall's. Ellen went as quickly as she could up to McGonagall. When she got there she was disappointed that all she was to do was to deliver a note. The note was for Hagrid the giant man, all Ellen knew about him was that he was large and lived on the school grounds. Walking down onto the grounds Ellen took a small peek at the note. It wasn't very interesting; it was just something about the arrival of the first years. On her arrival she gave a load knock on his oversized door.  
  
' 'Old on 'Old on she heard from inside. When the door opened she hardly got a word out of her mouth when a giant force knocked her to the ground.  
  
'FANG! Get' off 'er!' Fang jumped aside and Hagrid pulled Ellen up with one hand. 'Err sorry abou' that. He likes people. He wasn't going ter hurt ya.' Ellen was still a bit shaken. She wasn't a fan of big dogs, since a great dine jumped on top of her when she was three.  
  
'That's... ok. I have a note for you from McGonagall.' She rummaged though her pockets. It wasn't there. She looked around and found it crumpled on the ground. She smoothed it out and gave it to him.  
  
'Cheers. Ah, hardly worth the paper.' He put the note in his pocket. 'Would you like a cuppa tea?' Ellen checked her wristband for any more jobs. It was its normal clear self.  
  
'Err, ok I've got nothing better to do.' Hagrid, she thought, seemed nice enough. She followed him in and sat down at his big table.  
  
'So?' He said putting a large cup of tea in front of her 'How are ya liking it here at Hogwarts?'  
  
'Its alright very different to what I'm used to though.' She sipped her tea trying not to spill it down her front.  
  
' Yeah... you're a muggle aren't you?'  
  
'Err... yeah apparently so.'  
Ellen was at Hagrid's for about an hour before another job came her way. It was from Professor Victor who is the Muggle studies teacher. He was very nice to her knowing that she was a muggle herself and he explained to her to a great extent what she was to do.  
  
' Now take this letter up to the owlery.' He started 'do you know where that is?' Ellen nodded McGonagall had explained earlier.  
  
'When you get there go and pick out an owl.' Ellen nodded again 'and attach it to its leg and tell it the address.' Ellen took the letter and thanked him for the directions and started off.  
Ellen came around the bend from the owlery with feathers suck to her an hour later adding one more animal to the list of things that don't like her.  
  
Somewhere around the third floor something hit her on the back of her shirt making it all wet. She spun around, and there floating in front of her was a mischievous looking ghost holding a water balloon in one hand and a bucket of water in the other. Ellen had no idea how to react to it was a very strange moment. Ellen stared blankly at the ghost, it laughed and chucked the other water balloon at her. Luckily, Ellen sensed this was coming and ducked. The balloon soared over her head and hit the wall with a splash. She straitened up and was about to duck around a corner when the ghost zoomed towards her and dumped the bucket of water on her head. The ghost cackled with laughter and raced off leaving Ellen sopping wet. She brushed her short blond wet hair out of her eyes and trudged back down to her room.  
Down in the dungeons she nearly crashed into Snape.  
  
'Miss Gray, I'm disappointed to see that on the first day you have already neglected your duties.'  
  
'What do you mean?' Ellen said a bit confused.  
  
'I mean this' Severus pointed at her wristband that had now turned black.  
  
'Oh, I'm sorry sir.' Ellen decided to be as formal and matter-of-factly as she could be. ' I was requested to send a letter and it took a bit more time than I had hoped. I will attend to your matter in a moment if you let me get changed first as I have gotten a bit wet.'  
  
'Well since I have been waiting for about three quarters of an hour, you should apologize, take the books I wish for you to return to the library then attend to your own matters. Because as I understand that is what you were employed for.'  
  
'Yes, I guess you are right. But then again you will be sorry and miss me when I get sick and die from pneumonia because I walked around wet in this freezing castle. '  
  
' I doubt that very much. Here are the books I wish for you to return.' Snape dumped them in her arms. There were three very thick leather bond books that were too heavy for her to carry. Ellen put them carefully on the ground then picked two of them back up and put them on the Severus's desk. The other two she left by her feet in the corridor  
  
'What are you doing?' He asked  
  
'Oh, the books are quite heavy and I can only take two at a time so I'll come back for the others.' Then quite to the surprise to Severus, Ellen started taking off her shirt.  
  
'What on earth are you doing now?' Ellen stopped her shirt sticking up showing her belly.  
  
'Well you wouldn't let me get changed and I support that, but it is annoying walking around wet when your carrying something. So I thought that I would just take off my wet clothes, do my job as you requested then get changed in my own time.' She smiled  
  
'Just do the job.' He seemed angry and annoyed 'Frankly I don't care what you do.' And he walked away out of the dungeons.  
  
'If your going past the library could you take these books back?' She yelled after him. He ignored her. She laughed and as quickly as she could went and got changed.  
  
I'm sure if that is how to spell it but that's what my mum says.  
  
Next chapter the plot gets moving again so.... Yeah  
  
Oh I may have spelt Sinistra wrong Sorry  
  
R&R  
  



	6. The Feast

A/N read on (   
  
Chapter 6 The Feast  
  
Ellen felt a bit of guilty about teasing Snape; she always felt guilty after teasing people or yelling at someone or even when she said something stupid and felt she shouldn't have said it. Now she felt that she had put her foot in it, as they have to live and work in such close proximities. And the letter that she wrote was contradicted. She decided that it was best if she didn't think about it and think about something else like why should she cut her hair she wasn't sure if it would suit her.  
'The other students should be here any minute.' McGonagall said as she walked over to where she was sitting on the end of the staff table in the Great Hall. Minutes later there were squeals heard from outside.  
  
'What's going on?' McGonagall said standing up and rushed out of the hall.  
  
'Maybe there being hit by water balloons.' Ellen said to no one in particular as herds of children ran the hall. McGonagall came back in looking very pissed off.  
  
'Peeves was throwing water balloons.' She said to everyone. Some of the teachers looked at Ellen wondering how she knew.  
  
After order was restored in the hall, the sorting began. It started with a hat singing an awful song. This, to Ellen, was interesting for about five seconds, after that she felt like ripping the hat in half. But she made a game out of it, predicting what house it would yell.  
  
'Gryffindore' She would mutter  
  
'Gryffindore!' it yelled  
  
'Ravenclaw.' She said again  
  
'Ravenclaw!' it yelled  
  
'Slytherin '  
  
'Gryffindore!' after that she stopped  
  
After the monotony of the sorting the feast began. Ellen ate quite a lot, not something you would expect from someone who was quite thin. When everyone was finished Dumbledore started his speech. He started on about the Tri-wizard Tournament. The doors of the Great Hall flew open and an old, odd-looking man with half a nose and a wooden leg entered. He went over and spoke to Dumbledore. 'This is your new Defense Against The Darks Teacher professor Moody' few people clapped. Dumbledore also took the time to introduce her but no one seemed to be listening.  
After the feast the teachers were having a drink in the staff room. She now had the chance to give the last remaining stone to "that Moody guy". He was leaning heavily against his staff and talking to Dumbledore. Ellen waited for the opportune moment to give it to him. He was about to turn away from Dumbledore so she went and introduced herself.  
  
'Hello I'm Ellen Grey, the assistant.'  
  
'Hello' he said. His normal was eye fix on her face the other dating up and down her body.  
  
'Urm... your eye is....'  
  
'It does that it's magical.' His voice was very gruff.  
  
'Ok, well I just came over to give you this.' She handed him the stone that was red. And she explained what it did and how to use it. After that she left quickly it was freaky the way he looked at her.  
She slowly walked down the stairs going down to the dungeons. She could feel it getting steadily colder as she went down. Every thing felt so unreal, like a dream. Ellen thought. She was in such a state of thoughtfulness that she walked past her portrait. Ellen came back to her senses and walked back to her portrait entrance.  
  
'Hello dream girl.' The portrait said  
  
Ellen didn't like the picture. It gave her the creeps.  
  
'Will you let me in?' The portrait swung open and she went inside.  
Ellen woke the next morning to the familiar sound of running water. She held her watch up to see what the time was. This was hard, as it was extremely dark in her room and the only light there was coming from the crack under the bathroom door. It was quarter to six. Ellen groaned and got up. Now that she was awake there was no going back to sleep. Ellen sat in the dark until seven o'clock, when Snape vacated the bathroom and she, Ellen, entered.  
Ellen wasn't at breakfast for more than fifteen minutes. She was an incredibly fast eater but then again she didn't eat much breakfast. That day there was nothing to do but deliver messages. Ellen wondered if she was better off getting another job. In the afternoon the colour purple came up on her bracelet. Purple meant it was that odd Trelawney teacher. Ellen hadn't seen her since she first came and wondered what she wanted her to do. When she came into the tower there seemed to be no one there. It was dark and very stuffy  
  
'Hello?'  
  
"Miss Grey, welcome.' Trelawney said stepping into the light. 'I heard what you did on the night of the feast.' Ellen racked her brains she didn't know what she had done.  
  
'I'm sorry I don't follow you.'  
  
'You predicted what happened to those students.'  
  
'Oh,' Ellen laughed 'that was only because it happened to me before.'  
  
'And the houses that the students were being put into.'  
  
'Well, that was just a game. it was all chance. How do you know all this anyway.' Trelawney looked absently into a crystal ball and ran her fingers around it.  
  
'I know a lot of things...' She trailed off but then suddenly perked up 'But you! Have a beautiful inner eye. You must see many things.'  
  
'Ah...not really, no.' this woman, Ellen decided, was really odd.  
  
'Well do you sometimes think things then they happen?'  
  
'Sometimes, but its either a chance or a guess.'  
  
'Chance! Guess! Bah!' Trelawney was getting very passionate now. 'There is no chance or guesses. Everyone knows everything but they just don't know it yet! You must embrace your power, not many people have what you have.' She stopped. Ellen would have said something but didn't know what. 'I see you wish to go so I will let you.' Ellen turned out the door when she felt Trelawney's hand on her shoulder. 'Just remember Miss Grey, always trust your first instinct it will be the right one.'  
  
Her first real job came when Professor McGonagall summoned her to go around to all the teachers and ask them if the needed any supplies from Diagonally or Hogsmead. She went around to all the teachers asking what they wanted and where she would find it. Then by request she went back to McGonagall.  
  
'Now Ellen I know you have no idea what you are doing so I have organized someone to help you. This is Remus Lupin.' A thin sickish but cute man stepped forward and shook her hand.  
  
'Hello.' He said  
  
'Nice to meet you' she answered  
  
All of the items needed were found at diagonally so Remus showed her how to use flu powder, and that made her so dizzy that she fell over three times after she landed. He also showed her the bank Gringotts and where everything was found and how to pronounce them. All of the items on the list were easily enough acquired except for one that would take four hours to get ready. This item was requested by no other than Snape (surprise, surprise). Lupin had said that he needed to see someone so he left Ellen. Not knowing what to do she wandered into London. She had brought her mobile phone with her just incase she had this chance and checked her messages. She was disappointed to find that there were only three. The fist one was from Jane saying:  
  
Hi, oh u said that you couldn't get reception. Jus seeing how u r  
Luv Jane (  
  
The other two were from the phone company saying that if she didn't use her account soon it would be shut down. That took about ten minutes and that left her four hours so she just wondered around the center of London. She passed a hair salon and seeing that she had thirty pounds on her she thought that she should get her hair streaked at the front. For the rest of the time she went window-shopping in the department store then went to collect Snape's item.  
After she got back Ellen delivered all the requested items and had many comments about her hair. In her boredom she told the hairdresser to steak her hair red at the front. She always did odd things when she was board.  
  
Yeah... this chapter really had nothing to do with anything but anyhoo. Next will (hope fully) 


	7. More feasts

A/N Wow, this is a bit of a jump but there is a lot I have to say later. R&R (   
  
Chapter 7 feasts again  
  
After a few weeks Ellen had realized that Hogwarts was the most boring place in the world. Other than her slow moving job all she had to do was read books, and though she liked doing that she could only read for so long. Boredom drummed into her skull, she really wanted to listen to music or play music, anything. Whatever petty job she got only lasted her an hour at the most so she wondered why she even was working there. Sometimes she would use her time by making her presence easier for Snape to cope with. She made a sign saying:  
  
"Bath in use"  
  
She saw it on a movie once and thought it would be wise to do so as there were times were she nearly walked in on him and he on her. So when she would use the bathroom she would stick it on his side of the door at his eye level so he would notice it.  
  
Sometimes she would be so board that she would sit in Snape's office (only if he wasn't there and because she couldn't be bothered to go any further) doing her nails or reading a book because surprisingly there was quite good light in there for a dungeon. On one occasion he came in while she was doing her nails.  
  
'At what point did this stop being my office?' He said harshly as he came into the room  
  
'Oh sorry.' Ellen said and jumping up from his chair behind his desk and sitting in the one in front where she continued filing her nails.  
  
'Don't you have work to do?' He asked plonking some books down on his desk.  
  
'You would think that wouldn't you. Do you have a job for me?' She asked hopefully Severus looked around for something for her to do.  
  
'No.' He sounded disappointed that he couldn't find anything to get rid of her. Ellen continued filing her nails. Then Snape noticed the colour of them, they were dark purple. A lot of her had been changing colours lately fist part of her hair now her nails. He wondered how she managed it.  
  
Amongst the boredom there was always one person who continuously called for her and that was Moody or as Ellen liked to call him "peg leg pervert". Ellen hated him, for one thing he was the scariest looking man she had ever seen and that he was a complete pervert. He was always getting her to retrieve things from under desks and when she bent down she just knew he was taking a long look at her arse. And she was positive of this because who in their right mind would call someone to pick up something from the floor if they had magic to do it for them. She wondered about this in many other cases as well.  
  
Things started to pick up in the days leading to Halloween. In fact it was really busy, Ellen was bombarded with messages to send and items to buy. She guessed it was because of the Tri-wizardthingo as she called it. She was asked to send many messages to a lot of people with funny names like Ludo and Igor she thought this was odd because all the people of one generation had really odd names and people from the younger generation had normal ones.  
It was the 30th of October; normally Ellen didn't know the date due to her complete isolation from the rest of the world, but today she knew because everything was leading up to today. This meant that she was busy all day and for this she was happy, nothing was more boring than this place. The jobs she was given occupied her well into the evening. She walked into the great hall half way into the feast but she wasn't worried because there would be another one the following night. As she sat down at her normal place at the end of the table she noticed the extra twenty or so students and the four extra teachers. The one that she presumed was Madame Maxime was big and large and reminded her strongly of Hagrid and Ellen wondered if they were related. There were three other men who were also seated at the table. Mr. Bagman, Mr. Crouch and Professor Karkaroff but she didn't know who each was by sight. She asked Hagrid which were which and he cleared that up for her. She realized Professor Karkaroff who also reminded her of someone, a teacher she had in year four but with less white hair.  
  
Like after the very fist feast all the teachers and staff; were to go to the staff room to discuss the rest of the year. Dumbledore cornered Ellen going up there and he gave her three more stones one olive green the other a dark mahogany the last a scarlet and said they were to go to the visiting teachers and Mr. Bagman. When she entered the staff room both of the professors were already in convocations Madame Maxime was talking to McGonagall and Karkaroff was standing in the corner of the room with Snape having a deep discussion, but Snape looked like he didn't want to talk to him. Mr. Bagman was talking to Dumbledore and when he saw her left for her talk with him. Soon McGonagall detached herself from Madame Maxime and Ellen went over to talk to her. Like all others she explained who she was and told her what to do if she needed her. Getting to Karkaroff wasn't as easy, Ellen decided first to wait until his convocation was over, but after twenty minutes it was likely that that wasn't going to happen so she just went over hoping that they would notice her. Luckily one she had gotten close to them they stopped talking and just looked at her.  
  
'Yes?' Snape's voice was sharper then she expected  
  
'I don't mean to interrupt but could I talk to Mr. Karkaroff for a moment?'  
  
'Certainly' Snape said quickly and excused himself for a moment and said all she had to say with him. When she had finished Karkaroff went to Snape again.  
  
'Who was that delightfully polite girl and why is she dressed like a pitiful muggle?'  
  
'Because Karkaroff,' Snape eyes followed her 'that's what she is.'  
  
The next day seemed to pass rather fast though there was not much to do and again ended in a giant feast. Ellen didn't care if she never ate again and she knew that others felt the same. Students were flinging peas at each other and playing with their food. When the feast ended and everyone fell into a dead silence. Everyone was waiting in intense anticipation except Mr. Crouch and Ellen who couldn't care less. Snape actually seemed kind of interested. The lights were dimmed and there was no noise for a whole five minutes, then red flickers spouted from the goblet and a name was red out for the Dumstrang School, there was a loud applause and the person in question, Victor Krum, got up and left the hall. Then the name was read out for the other visiting school. The champion was a beautiful young girl who Ellen envied. Lastly the last name was a boy, Cedric Diggory, whom she thought was nothing special. Dumbledore started to closes the feast when the goblet spouted another name, Harry Potter. Everyone looked confused and didn't know what to do. Ellen thought that this was just a ploy to get people into the event, but no.  
  
After the rest of the students were sent off to bed, Dumbledore, Snape, Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, McGonagall and by invitation Ellen went into the room with the champions, and there she was left to watch the war of words over the boy, Harry. First Dumbledore was being blamed for misinforming but then Snape intervened and shifted the blame to the boy himself, then Dumbledore broke in again and asked the boy if he did it and denied it. This made Snape make a soft noise of impatient disbelief and Ellen laughed, she hid it with her hand but it still made Snape shoot her an vindictive look and this made her have to leave the room to hide her hysterics. Outside she met Moody going in.  
  
'What's so funny then?' He asked  
  
'Nothing' she said and she didn't feel like laughing anymore.  
  
. If there is anything that can make your reading experience better tell me or email me (the address is on another author's note) I don't mind you all seem like very nice people.  
  
P.S I'm not trying to butter you up to keep reading the story 


	8. Dungeons and Dragons

I thought it was about time that I apologize for my bad grammar, I was never properly taught it so I'm v. sorry.

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Chapter 8 Dungeons and Dragons

Ellen returned to the room where the champions were, and found they were just leaving. Karkaroff and Madame Maxime were leading their students out, they didn't look too happy. After a word from Dumbledore Harry and Cedric also left followed by Crouch and Moody. The people remaining looked thoughtful, though Snape looked angrier.

'Miss Grey would you be so kind to go to the kitchens and get a bottle of whisky.'

'Certainly.' And with some quick instructions went and came back with the drink.

'Do you drink Miss. Grey?' Dumbledore asked as she set it down on coffee table in the middle of the room.

'I have been known to.' She said with a slight smile

'Then you will join us for a nightcap then?' Dumbledore asked and Ellen sat down to join them. McGonagall was awoken from her reverie and poured herself a glass that Dumbledore had conjured. Snape was still standing away from the rest. Bagman was looking impatient then burst out.

'Well penny for your thoughts everyone.' No one said anything, so he pored himself a drink. 'Well come on.' Bagman encouraged.

'I don't know what to say, such a thing has never happened before.' Said McGonagall

'I think what you did was the right thing to do.' Dumbledore said sipping his whiskey.

'Someone is up to something, if you ask me. But I tell you now; none of the incidences would have happened if Potter would keep out of trouble. ' Snape said joining the convocation and reached down to get a drink.

' I agree with Minerva, I have no idea what to think. But Severus, Voldermort would be back anyway, with or without Harry. '

Snape quickly finished his drink then poured another. Ellen had no idea who this Voldermort character was or why Snape didn't want to hear about him. Bagman was looking very uncomfortable and said:

'Well I'm off. Goodnight gentlemen, ladies.' And rushed out of the room. Ellen looked towards McGonagall for answers and didn't get any. Ellen didn't understand why everyone looked so uncomfortable.

'I guess your right, everything would probably happen eventually.' Snape went from where he was standing and dropped into one of the chairs. There was a long awkward silence. Ellen frustrated that she didn't know what they were talking about asked bravely:

'Who is this "Voldermort" person?'

'No one' Snape said harshly

'I think I will go to bed.' McGonagall said leaving Dumbledore to explain

'He, he who must not be named, is-'

'Is, no one you need to worry about.' Snape cut in

'Severus,' Dumbledore gave him a hard look. 'He Who Must Not Be Named, is the Dark Lord.

'Dark Lord ... you don't...say...' Ellen thought this had to be a cover up for something. Maybe he was an old "friend" of Severus's or something.

'Well, ' Dumbledore said brightly. ' I think its time for bed. Ellen will you take the bottle back?' Ellen took the whisky without another word.

Coming out of the kitchens Ellen could really feel how cold it was, she hurried out and down the corridor into the dungeons. It was much darker than usual, which made it quite eerie, so she sped up into a very brisk walk.

Then one moment she was walking down to her room, and then she found herself on the ground, like she had smashed into a wall or something. Out of the darkness a very pale face appeared which gave her quite a start.

'You should watch where you're going.' A especially angry Snape said.

'Sorry.' She said picking herself up 'from the back you blend in with everything else.' Snape didn't say anything and went on his way.

'Oh, and I'm sorry if what I asked before struck a nerve.'

'Just do me a favor and don't talk about it.' He said agitated.

'I'm really sorry I'm just trying to understand this...place.'

'Well don't, it's nothing to do with you or your kind.'

'My kind, what do you mean by that?' Ellen retorted

'You know very well you do not belong here. I frankly do not know why you were chosen to come.'

'Well neither do I, but I can't help that now can I?' Ellen was starting to feel upset

' No but you can try to mind your own business.'

'Ok if that's the way you feel.' The next few moments were awkward because Ellen was following Snape down the corridor to her room.

Over the next few days Ellen managed to totally avoid Snape, though this suited her fine, it left her with less jobs for her to do. Ellen now spent most of her time with Madame Pomfrey, who was quite an interesting person to talk to. One morning Ellen was helping her roll bandages when a boy came in with something horribly wrong with his face. Ellen excused herself because this was too gross to watch. On her way out a girl came crashing into her, at first Ellen just thought she was upset about something but then she noticed that her teeth had grown past her waist.

Even After the girls teeth were back to their normal size she still seemed upset. Ellen sat beside her on the bed.

'Are you going to go back to class now?'

'Do I have to?' The girl really sounded like she didn't want to

'What do you have?'

'Potions.' She spat

'What did he say?' Ellen asked, noticing the detest in her voice and the fact that Snape would say some sort of horrible remark.

'He said that he saw no difference in my appearance when my teeth were...' She held her hand past her chin to show how far they had grown.

'Stay here, the less time you have to be with that man the better. He may be a good teacher but he is the most insufferable prick I've ever met. Excuse my language.'

'Don't worry about it.'

'I will worry about it. When I was your age I had a prick of a science teacher to, Mr. Hooker, he was rude, a bad teacher and thought he was "hard core". He always had a snide remark for someone if they were displeasing him. And well I think Professor Snape is worse.'

Ellen went down into Snape's office and sat with her feet on his desk waiting for him to return.

'What do you want?' he asked when he came in

'What I want is simple,' she said getting up. Snape merely stared at her eyebrows raised. 'I just wanted to say that you're a horrible prick; I didn't think you were, and I actually thought we could be friends but now I see otherwise. '

'Friends you and me?' Snape seemed generally surprised. ' How could I ever be friends with you, your so strange and perky!'

'Perky!' Ellen cried outraged ' I am not perky. Anyway even if I was its better then being a cranky old anemic Goth!'

' I'm not cranky there is just certain things that irritate me'

'Everything irritates you. You wouldn't know happiness if it bit you in the ass.'

'Oh, bite my ass.'

'Bite your own ass your head is already there.' Ellen left slamming the door behind her.

As the first task of the Tri-wizard Tournament came closer Ellen found herself with a new job, when Dumbledore calmly asked her to go ark the people camped at the side of the forest if they wanted anything. This request was very odd, but Ellen did what she was told.

As she turned around to the side of the forest she was confronted with a giant cage and a small shantytown of tents. For a long moment Ellen stood looking at the strange sight until a man came over to greet her.

'Hello, Miss Grey I presume. I'm Charlie.' A nice looking red head asked taking off his gloved and shaking her hand.

'Hi, Ellen.' She said her attention on the giant cage, and the contents in side. 'Are they...?"

'Yes dragons, would you like to see?'

'Err ok' he led her up to the cage to where four large dragons were tied down. 'Isn't this cruel to keep them like this?'

'Yes and no, keep in mind that dragons are very hard to control.'

'True...' she was quiet for a moment then said. 'Are they for the tournament?'

'Yep.' He seemed very proud 'Beautiful aren't they?'

'Isn't that dangerous?'

'Well, if it wasn't dangerous they wouldn't put it in the tournament.'

Ellen frowned this wasn't, she thought, a good idea perople in the magical worl had serious thrill issues.

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A/N I don't like writing about the tournaments so I'm sorry if they are a bit flat in the next chapters.

R&R


	9. Reflection

A/N hi all! Sorry about the spelling errors in the last chapter. :S I only just noticed them.

Chapter 9 Reflection

When the first task arrived Ellen found herself unimpressed. She didn't think it was right that children were to compete in such death sports. Ellen took a seat on the lower level of the grandstand and closest to the exit; because she didn't plan to watch for long, but as it turned out she was late and had missed the first the first to competitors. While watching the children dodging the Dragons all she could thing was that if the Department of Education was anything like it was in her world the castle would be shut down and a lot of people would be in deep trouble.

At the end Dumbledore came over and asked what she thought of what she just saw.

'I think' She said 'that this is a lawsuit waiting to happen.'

With the close of the first task came another thing for people to get excited about. It was announced that there was to be a ball on Christmas night. And with Christmas just around the corner came the arrival of Christmas cards, and that was all good. But Ellen was the one who had to send them all. She was bombarded with hundreds of Christmas cards she had to send from busy teachers. She didn't think that teachers with no lives (she guessed they had no lives since they lived at the school) had so many friends. Sending cards meant spending a lot of time in the owlery. Ellen hated it there, no only was it filled with dirty owls but it stank in there and spending more than an hour in there made you feel very dirty. Dumbledore found her after finishing that horrible task. She felt a little embarrassed as she was covered in feathers.

'Ah, Miss. Ellen.' He exclaimed. He had stopped calling her Miss. Grey after she asked him repeatedly to call her Ellen (she didn't mind miss normally but everyone else was well much older than her so it made her feel small.)

'I wanted to talk to you about your time here.' He continued. 'I thought that since you were going to be with us for the rest of the year I thought it would be unfair to keep you here over the holidays so you are free to go.'

' Thank you, err, sir. I will take up that offer.' Ellen rushed off wanting to get the smell of owl off her.

'I thought we got rid of you.' Snape said surprised and annoyed to find Ellen sitting looking forlorn behind his desk with a book he swore he had seen her reading ages ago.

'You did, but nobody is around for Christmas so I'm stuck in this freak show... sorry.'

'I can't blame you, I've been stuck in this freak show for...' he sighed ' thirteen years...'

'Ha! Sucked in.'

Severus rolled his eyes he was wondering if she would move so he could sit down, but it didn't seem likely and he, for once, didn't feel like arguing so he sat in the chair opposite her. He had never sat in front of his desk before and it made him feel less dominate, he didn't like it. There was silence. Ellen looked as if she was calculating something. Then suddenly she asked:

'How old are you?'

This question took him by surprise he just assumed that she knew. He then realised he didn't know how old she was. She looked quite young she couldn't be more than thirty, probably around twenty-five or six.

'Does it matter?'

'Well I guess not but I'd like to know. It is a bit hard to tell peoples ages in this place.'

Severus didn't know whether to tell her or not but he saw no harm

'Ok if you must know I'm thirty-six.'

Ellen looked at him hard. He was younger then she expected, she was thinking he would be around the mid forties.

'Your younger than I expected. Your probably wondering how old I am, or not, but I'm twenty-eight. Getting old.' She smiled showing her white teeth, and then she frowned seeing the expression on his face. 'What?'

'Nothing I just thought you would be younger seeing how childish you are.' He could never help adding in a sarcastic remark.

'That's sweet you thought I was younger? Thanks Snape you really lifted my spirits.'

Severus was confused, the attempt to shut her down failing.

It was Christmas morning Ellen woke early like she always did on Christmas, she had no presents, thought there were some lovely cards from her work mates. She couldn't sit in her room and wait until people got up they would take ages. She took the chance to walk around the castle alone. She felt very lonely this was the first Christmas where she wasn't with any of her friends or family. She thought maybe sabotaging some of those annoying singing suits would cheer her up. Turning around corners where she knew there were a few she was disappointed that someone had gotten there before her. Every turn she took she found that every suit had been tampered with. She followed the trail of destruction to the teachers' staff room. Pushing open the door she found that she would not be alone. Snape was sitting in an armchair expressionless.

'Those singing suits piss you off as well' she said to him sitting down.

'With a passion.'

They didn't say much, but it was a comfortable silence. Ellen wondered what Snape was thinking.

By two o'clock there were no girls around the castle. Ellen didn't have the need to get ready early she felt confident that she could be ready in half an hour if need be. She spent the rest of the day helping with peoples snowball fights and avoiding Moody who wanted to get her under the mistletoe.

Ellen was looking through her makeup box deciding what combination of colours she would use for the night. She wanted it to be as subtle as possible she was oblivious to what was happing around her lost in her own little world, deciding on make up. Snape came in he didn't realize she was in there as the door adjoining his room was wide open when it was normally closed. She didn't notice him; she was humming some kind of song. He wondered hoe long it would take to notice him or maybe she was just ignoring him. He stood right behind her still she didn't acknowledge him. He really wanted to use the bathroom and by the looks of things she wasn't doing anything important. He wasn't really surprised that she was in there all the other women in the castle were getting ready, the thing that did surprise him was that she wasn't getting ready she still looked the same as she had done that morning.

'Your leaving things a bit late.' He said

Ellen whirled around startled by his deep dark voice. Ellen didn't know that Severus was so close behind her.

'DON'T do that!' she yelled 'Do you have any control on how creepy you allow yourself to ge-' She stopped, Severus had stumbled backwards; hand over his face. Somehow she had managed to hit him in the face. She clapped her hands over her mouth

'Sorry, did I hit you?' She asked worried that she was about to get yelled at. Severus didn't reply but removed his hand reveling blood trickling out his nose and down his chin. He wiped it away with his hand.

'Good shot' he said feeling the bridge of his nose and wincing.

'Oh God, I am so sorry, here' She got a handful of tissues and gave them to him, his nose bleeding more heavily. Next thing he knew he was being dragged up to the hospital wing, he reluctantly let her.

'Poppy, are you here?' Ellen called when she got up to the hospital wing, dragging an unenthusiastic Severus behind her. Poppy came out with her hair in curlers.

'Are you not going to the ball Ellen?' She asked looking her over

'Oh I am, but I have a problem. I accidentally broke Severus's nose.' Ellen dragged Snape around so Poppy could see.

'Accident you say?' Poppy said with a smirk. 'Sit.' She said to Snape sharply. And he obeyed.

'I don't know what happened' Ellen began 'He just startled me and then I turned around and well this happened.'

'Well accident or no accident at least now someone has hit him.' Poppy answered

'What is that supposed to mean?' Snape asked sharply

'Well it had to happen, if Ellen hadn't hit you someone else would.'

'And why would that be?' He asked still holding tissues to his nose

'Because' Ellen said 'You're a total smart ass.'

'There.' Poppy said hitting him on the nose with her wand and muttering a spell. 'All done.'

Snape rubbed his nose and glared that had hurt more than when Ellen had broke it.

'Thank you Poppy.' Ellen said and turning to Snape she said 'Oh don't be such a baby, if you were anywhere but here this would be worse. But then again your nose would still be the same broken or not.' She took him by the arm and led him back down to their rooms. He had a glare fixed on his face, but he wasn't as angry as he would usually under these circumstances.

'Listen,' she said turning to Snape where they would part into their separate rooms 'sorry to poke such fun at you but you deserve it, but I am sorry about what I did I don't know how it happened.'

'Well I think it was surprise and that ring.' He said pointing to a ring with a large amber stone. He departed into his room. Ellen did the same but into her room. She had left things a bit late she had an hour and twenty minutes but she was quite confident she could get ready in less. She was about to go into the bathroom to try and make a start on getting ready but Severus was in there and if she guessed right, and she normally did, he would be in there for a while. Ellen didn't know and didn't want to know what took so long.

Severus was standing in the bathroom in front of the mirror, looking at himself. He didn't know why, he didn't usually; well he tried to avoid it. He found himself looking at an angry middle-aged man who looked older than he should. He had stopped caring about himself, other people and life along time ago and he had only now realised how much he had let himself go. Maybe he should start to care again he thought. Ellen was right his nose would be the same broken or not. He suddenly got angry with himself, he was only thinking about this because of Ellen, why should he care what she thought? He vacated the bathroom slamming the door behind him. 

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

A/N Please R&R


	10. friends and foes

A/N I've been waiting to write this chapter for so long.

(JKR laughs) -Who on earth would want Snape in love with them? That's a very horrible idea

Chapter 10 friends and foes

Ellen herd the door slam marking Severus's exit, She wondered why he was angry now instead of when she had broke his nose.

After fifteen short minutes Ellen stepped into the corridor and started up to the great hall. She was happy, for the first time she could wear one of her most favorite dresses. It was long, jet-black, in the style of a gothic/regency dress with long sleeves that flared out at the base. She fell in love with it as soon as she saw it and had to buy it, she knew she could never wear it anywhere but a Halloween party or something, But now was the perfect time. Along with her knee-high high heels and her short hair, flaring out to make it look like it defined gravity she looked like Vampira (if she had long black hair) or some sort of gothic queen.

'Miss Ellen you look stunning!' Dumbledore exclaimed when she entered

'Thank you.' She said she silently agreeing

'Don't you agree Severus?' he asked Snape who was standing near adjusting one of the lamps on a table. Ellen was glad he had had at least changed for the night. As he turned he was awed at seeing her but pushed that down inside him before anyone could notice.

'I'm glad to see that for once you fit in with your surroundings.' He said curtly.

'I think you can do better than that Severus.' Dumbledore said to him. Snape looked her over properly.

'You look nice.' He said stiffly and turned away.

'He isn't very good with compliments.' Dumbledore explained with a smile.

After the students piled into the Hall the dinner started. Ellen sat at a staff table with Hagrid and Poppy and Madame Prince. They had come to call it the reject table, as none of them were teachers. All though dinner Ellen could feel Moody watching her, she knew that he wanted her under the mistletoe. The music was about to start and she could see Moody start to come towards her. She had an idea to get away from him for the moment. She pretended to have a pang of self-consciousness so she went back to her room to check her make-up and hair but she knew both were perfect. Coming back to the Hall she heard the strange music that would fill the night. The doors of the great hall were closed; when she opened them she was expecting some sort of Rocky Horror Time Warp dance sequence. Luckily it wasn't, it was just normal ballroom type dancing.

Nearly as soon as she entered, Moody came over, bowed and pulled her into an awkward dance. She kept on tripping over his foot and he kept on standing on her. Even through this, he was determined not to let her get away.

Snape was watching her being pulled around the dance floor, she had been so careful so avoid Moody at the start of the night but now that was all in vain. Why was he watching her when he was so angry with her? And why couldn't he stop watching her? He was so absorbed in watching Ellen he forgot to look out for the person he was avoiding.

'Severus can we talk?' The low worried voice of Karkaroff said behind him. Severus, unable to think up a plausible excuse, had no choice but to follow. On the way out he passed by Ellen, Moody had now lead her into a slow, awkward, waltz.

'Help me' She mouthed as they went past. He probably would have helped her but he was angry with her and he was caught in his own unwanted situation.

Ellen finally got away from Moody, when she said to him that she had something urgent to tell Dumbledore about Snape, knowing that Moody hated him. She quickly escaped outside where she was guaranteed to get away from him. She took a stroll around the castle she found Snape and Karkaroff doing the same thing. Snape looked like he really didn't want to be there, he was blasting random things with his wand. Even though Snape didn't help her she thought she might as well help him. She felt she owed it to him.

Severus blasted a flower that was growing out of the thin layer of snow on the ground. Karkaroff was saying something to him but he stopped listening a long time ago. Ellen came rushing up to both of them.

'Professor Snape, Dumbledore requests a word with you.'

Severus had no idea what Dumbledore wanted him for, but just as Ellen turned away she winked just so he could see it.

'Oh, right of course. Sorry' he said to Karkaroff 'this is important.' He walked off not knowing where he was going. He walk around the grounds of the castle for a bit knowing Karkaroff would go back inside to try and find him again. Fed up, he went and sat on a rock wall that enclosed a small oak tree close to one of castle's walls. Someone tugged at his hair from behind. He turned around, Ellen stood behind holding onto the tree.

'Your hair is really gross did you know that?' She wiped her hand on his shoulder. Snape mumbled some remark. 'Its nice out here, cold but nice, serine even.' Dreamily she blew frost out of her mouth.

'Here' Severus got up, took off his cloak and held it out to her. Ellen took it suspiciously.

'Why are you being so nice to me?' She asked wrapping the cloak around her; it was warm and comforting. She sat down beside him.

'Why not?' He shrugged he had no idea why he was being nice. He wasn't angry with her anymore, he found that he couldn't be, there was just something about her.

'Its very difficult to dace with someone with a fake leg.' Ellen said changing the subject. She took off one of her right shoe and sock and massaged her ankle.

'How did you manage to get away from Moody in the end?' He asked he didn't really care but he thought it would start convocation.

'Well, he was very desperate not to let me go and he was slowly edging me towards the mistletoe.' She grimaced at the thought 'Anyway two dances after you passed me I twisted my ankle, after he tried to spin me. I couldn't dance anymore but I didn't want to tell him about my ankle because I knew he would want to help me so I made up an excuse...' Severus raised his eyebrows 'I told Moody that I had something urgent to tell Dumbledore...about you. So now Moody thinks you're up to something. Sorry.'

'No harm done, he thinks I'm up to something already.' He picked up Ellen shoe. 'No wonder you twisted your ankle. Look how high it is.' The heel was at least six inches high. 'How on earth do you walk?'

'Its not that hard, I have higher shoes than that.' This was the most civil conversation they had ever had, and they were talking about shoes.

'Does your ankle hurt?' he enquired. She was still massaging it.

'Yes, but I can handle it.' She added quickly.

Snape scooped up a handful of snow and pressed it to her ankle.

'Better?'

'Much, thank you.' Ellen smiled and held the snow there. They sat in silence for a while neither knew what to say. Ellen still wondered why Severus was being so nice. Severus silently hated himself for being so out of character; why was he being so nice? Wasn't it just hours before that he was so angry her? The stone that they were sitting on started to make him cold.

'Shall we go back inside?' He asked

'Yes I suppose, though I don't really want to go back into the ball.'

'I wasn't suggesting the ball. I meant just to go back inside.'

Ellen brushed the snow from her foot and pulled on her shoe and sock. She got up as though she was unhurt. 'Are you ok?'

'Fine, this isn't the first time and it won't be the last. I know how to handle pain.'

'That's make two of us.'

They went down to Severus's office.

'God!' Ellen exclaimed 'its colder down here than it is outside.'

Severus flicked his wand and the empty fireplace burst into flames. He sat down, and opened one of his desk draws and withdrew a bottle of whiskey.

'Drink?'

'Yes.'

Two glasses appeared out of nowhere. They say quiet with their drinks. Severus was immersed with his thoughts. He was still perplexed why he was still being nice to her, it wasn't a characteristic normally associated with him. Maybe he was being nice because she was being nice. She had said once that she thought they could be friends; maybe this was what it was like to have a friend. But were they friends?

'You said once you wanted to be my friend.' He said out loud, trying to wok out his thoughts

'I still do'

'But you think, as I recall, that I'm a horrible prick.' He was making a case against himself.

'True,' she stopped to reflect, 'but you intrigue me Severus Snape.' She finished her drink. Then gave him a brief peck on the cheek and quickly left him before he could respond.

Now he was really confused.

A/N what do you think?


	11. A wail in the night

A/N Yet another chapter

Chapter 11. Things that wail in the night

Long after Ellen had left Severus was still drinking and thinking about the horrible mistake had just made. How could he let her befriend him? But it wouldn't last long, he thought, once she found out about his past and what he had done she wouldn't want to be his friend any more. He picked up the glass Ellen had used and hurled it across the room, as it hit the stonewall it shattered into pieces.

Winter was a horrible time to take messages, especially outside. There was a day in mid January when she had to spend the day taking messages by hand between Hogwarts and Hogsmead. The snow was still deep up to her knees and the day was a mixture of snowstorms and rain. Ellen felt as though she was a walking icicle. The only good thing was wherever she went she was greeted warmly and given hot reviving drinks.

By the end of the day she was exhausted and FREEZING! Trudging down to her room dripping wet from rain and meted snow she noticed that Snape had the fire going in his office. She went in not caring what he said to her she just wanted to be warm.

'Nice day?' Severus asked when he saw her

'Beautiful' she managed to get out though chattering teeth. She went and stood in front of the fire, which was right behind his desk, and started to pull of some of the many layers of clothing she was wearing dumping them on the floor. She knew the best way to get warm again would to get changed out of the clothes she was wearing but she couldn't detach herself from the fire.

Severus couldn't help but feel for Ellen as he saw her shivering in front of his fire.

'Go have a hot shower.' he said putting his cloak around her, and lead her towards her room. She had to admit it was a good idea.

She took off her clothes a pulled back the shower curtain.

'Holy Crap!' Severus heard her exclaim from his room. The door that adjoined his room to the bathroom opened and Ellen's head poked around it.

'Could you help me for a second. There is an _enormous_ spider in the bathtub.'

Severus joined her in the bathroom trying not to notice that all she was wearing was a towel.

'Women.' He muttered 'its probably only as big as a-' He stopped seeing the spider. 'Ok that _is_ a massive spider.' He admitted vanishing it with his wand.

That night Ellen woke with a start and she didn't know what woke her. She lay looking at the ceiling trying to go back to sleep. She was nice and warm now; the shower had really done the trick. She needed to give back Severus's cloak it was hanging off one of the posts of her bed. All of a sudden there was a great wailing scream that rang throughout the castle. Ellen sprang up and went to look out into the corridor. Severus had done the same.

'What on earth was that?' Ellen asked when the wailing stopped. Severus didn't answer but started down the corridor towards the source. Ellen followed him until he stopped outside his office, the door was ajar and Snape slammed it shut again cursing loudly. The action was so violent Ellen thought the door was going to break off its hinges. She again was going to ask what he was doing when he walked, or rather strode, down the hall out of sight.

When Snape returned he stopped again outside his office, the door was again ajar. He went in, crashing the door open. Ellen was standing over the spilled contents of his store cupboard.

'What are you doing?' He asked sharply

'What I do best.' She answered not affected by his tone.

'What is that exactly?' He said sarcastically 'Playing detective?'

'Well yes actually, that is what I do, I'm a detective. Well at lest I will be when I leave here.'

'Any leads _Detective_? He asked patronizingly

'Well no, I don't because I have no idea if anything is missing or not. So far it is just destruction of property and trespass.'

Snape swept his eyes over the contents of his cupboard. His brow creased in frustration.

'Some items used to make polyjuice potion are missing.' He said at last.

'Ok then' Ellen said ' I have no idea what that is, but no matter. Moving on who would want to take the...items in question?'

'No idea.' He did have some idea but the list of suspects would be very long.

'Ok, That narrows it down.' Ellen said sarcastically. Her attention shifted to something on the floor. Severus followed her gaze but couldn't see what she was looking at.

'What?' he asked Ellen wondering what she had found. She bent down and picked up a single hair.

'Who do you know who is blond?'

Snape rolled his eyes and tugged at her loose ponytail.

'Are you so blond that you have forgotten that you are blond?'

'No,' Ellen sighed 'other than me, and someone who would actually _want_ to steal from you.'

Snape reached down to pick up one of the bottles that had fallen out of the cupboard, and in doing so managed to scrape a long gash down his let forearm on another bottle that had broken.

'Severus!' Ellen exclaimed

'What?' he asked her not noticing what he had done.

'You must never move anything in a crime scene! And your bleeding!'

Severus looked at where the long sleeve of his nightshirt was turning crimson with blood.

'Its just a scratch.' He said trying not to make a big deal out of it.

'A scratch wouldn't bleed like that!' Ellen said not taking her eyes off his wound.' Here let me help.' She went to pull up his sleeve to get a better look

'Why?' He asked suspiciously pulling his arm away.

'Why? Because I'm a vampire.' Ellen opened her eyes wide and advanced on him.

'That is not funny.' Snape said pushing her back unimpressed.

'Sure it is.' Ellen retorted. 'C'mon come here, let me look, your bleeding everywhere.' Snape grudgingly let her pressurize his wound with her hand. 'Do you have a magic potion that with fix this?' She asked looking around.

'Yes, over there on that shelf.' He said pointing to a jar with yellowish liquid in it. Still with a firm grip on his gash Ellen took the jar off the shelf and dragged Severus down the corridor to their bathroom. Why did everything time he saw her have to end in him getting hurt? He thought.

She took her hand away from the cut, her hand soaked in his blood. She turned on the tap and started to pull up his sleeve.

'Stop Fussing!' he said trying to push his sleeve back down

'No, keep still.' She finished pulling up his sleeve. 'Oh god...' She whispered.

Severus's heart fell, he knew what she had seen, his Dark Mark tattoo. It was brighter than it had been in years but not as bright as it could be. He didn't know what she would think of him now. Not that he cared he added to his thought.

'That is the ugliest tattoo I've ever seen. Were you drunk when you got it?' she asked.

Severus didn't answer; he was relived by her ignorance.

'There will be a time when she finds out' he said to himself grimly. Ellen pulled his arm under the running water washing the blood away.

'What was all that commotion about before?' Ellen asked fetching a handful of cotton balls.

'Oh nothing, Potter's egg went off and Moody came to cover it up...' he said vaguely still thinking about who would have broken into his office.

'Ok...and does that have anything to do with your office?' She asked pouring the yellow liquid on a cotton ball and smearing it on his wound, it disappearing almost straight away.

'Maybe.' He said thoughtfully 'maybe.'

'Well never the less I will find out who broke into your office even though the odds are against me.'

'Don't bother it was probably a student it was the last time.' He didn't want her meddling with his affairs.

'Its happened before?' she asked. Severus nodded. 'What does the potion do?'

'If you have part of a person, i.e. a hair or fingernail, and you put it in the potion you physically turn into that person.'

'I see... and who'd want to do that?'

Severus thought, he didn't actually know but there was defiantly foul play afoot.

A/N I'm not sure if this chapter makes sense tell me if it doesn't


	12. February Celebrations

SUSPECT

MOTIVE 

Potter

Has done so before. (Apparently)

Moody

Has searched the office and would know where things are

Karkaroff

Shady character. May not be trustworthy

A/N I tried to be creative with his birthday so it would fit it in with personalities that go with that month. But I failed so I settled on AR's birthday.

Chapter 12 February Celebrations

To the dismay of Severus, Ellen spent most of her time trying to find out who broke into his office. She had even drawn up a list of suspects.

SUSPECT

MOTIVE 

Potter

Has done so before. (Apparently)

Moody

Has searched the office and would know where things are

Karkaroff

Shady character. May not be trustworthy

'Now Severus, what else do you have in that store cupboard, anything illegal?' Ellen asked in her most formal voice

'Not that it is any of your business but yes there are illegal things in that cupboard.'

'Like drugs?'

'No, not that kind of illegal don't be stupid.' He snapped. He picked up a quill and scribbled another name on Ellen's list. When he had finished she turned the piece of paper around it now said:

SUSPECT

MOTIVE 

Potter

Has done so before. (Apparently)

Moody

Has searched the office and would know where things are

Karkaroff

Grey, Ellen

Shady character. May not be trustworthy

Will not leave me alone

'Oh god' Ellen shuddered as she walked into the great hall for breakfast 'I'm in hell.'

The Hall was decorated with flowers, harts and flying cherubs, which made it look like a blur of red and pink. Ellen grabbed an apple and quickly exited. Not ever having very good relationships made St Valentines day her most hated holiday. She met Snape just outside the door.

'I wouldn't go in there if I were you. It's pink.'

'Pink?' Severus asked not understanding what she meant. Ellen decided not to protest when he went inside the Great Hall. He came back almost before he went in, closing the door with a bang.

'It is pink in there.' He said like it had surfaced a lot of painful memories.

Severus turned back to his office deciding it was better to skip breakfast. Ellen followed with lack of anything better to do.

'Is someone crabby because they didn't get a Valentine?' She asked teasingly when he didn't say anything more.

'Certainly not' He replied like she was out of her mind. Severus sat at his desk and unrolled the morning paper. Ellen moved a pile of books and sat down on the desk and bit into her apple. Snape looked at her disapprovingly but did not comment. There was a comfortable silence that was only broken by a faint gurgling sound. Ellen hid a giggle behind her hand.

'Was that your stomach?' She asked already knowing the answer.

'Yes.' Snape replied not looking up from the paper. Ellen took a large bite out of her apple making sure it made a crunching sound.

'Bite?' Ellen asked holding her apple out to him.

'No thanks.' Severus declined her odd offer.

'Do you know what?' she asked after a moment of silence

'No and I don't care.'

'I've never gotten a Valentines card.' She said ignoring what he had said.

'Wow I care so little I nearly blacked out.'

'Have you ever gotten one?'

'No and it does not bother me.' He said turning a page of the newspaper

'Me neither.'

'Then why did you bring it up?'

'Just wanted to make conversation.'

'Well don't.'

Ellen lay wide-awake in bed she had been awake for ages waiting for a suitable time. Suddenly she got up and snatched up something from her desk and crept into Severus' room, it was time. He was asleep. He was very peaceful. He didn't frown or sneer. He did nothing.

She placed the gift on his bedside table. She began to turn back but turned again to look at him. She wanted to get closer, to see if he would wake up. She knew he would be furious if he found her there while he was in his nightshirt. But she crept closer. Sat on the edge of the bed, lay down, and soon her face was only about two inches from his.

Then his eyes flicked open and Ellen jumped.

'DON'T DO THAT!' She yelled in her surprise

'DON'T DO THAT!' he yelled back both shocked and confused. 'Is there a reason why you are in my room and on my bed?' Snape said angrily, this was a situation he didn't think he would ever deal with. Ellen hesitated then reached behind her.

'Yes there is, I got you a present.' She held out the box to him but he didn't take it. 'Go on it's not going to bite.'

'Its not my birthday.' He said plainly

'Isn't it? I thought it was the 21st of February.'

'Twenty-first… ' Snape paused and calculated backwards. 'Wait ok maybe it is my birthday. Anyway' he said coming back to the present 'how did you know it was my birthday? Nobody knows when it is'

'I have my ways.' She said with a cheeky smile. She didn't want to tell him that she had gone though his draws in his office and found a very old piece of paper with his birth date on it.

Severus Snape surveyed Ellen for a moment; she was wearing a short black silk nightdress that looked very thin, something not suitable for the climate. But pretty, very pretty. In fact, it was more than pretty. She was … but he couldn't describe it. Not on _Ellen_.

'Open the box before I freeze to death.' Ellen rubbed her arms.

'Umm…err…thank you.' Snape hesitated before taking the box. He didn't know what to say in the situation. When he took it and sat it on his lap and lifted up the lid slowly. This was the fist time someone other than family had given him a present and even then it would be less than this.

Ellen shifted impatiently lifting up the bedspread and rapped it around herself. Snape looked at her curiously he didn't know what to think.

'Sorry, it's cold.' She pulled the cover up to her chin. Severus resumed opening his present glancing every now and then at Ellen, who was watching him with anticipation as he pulled out the unevenly wrapped ball that was inside.

'Why are you giving me a present?' he asked suspiciously. Ellen shrugged.

'I just thought you would like it. And you don't seem to have any other presents.' There was a short silence before she said 'Open you're bloody present already, or I'll do it for you.'

'Ok, ok.' Snape said, tearing off the lumpy wrapping; it revealed a funny squishy yellow ball.

'And this is a…?' he asked

'It's a stress ball.' Ellen said delightfully 'It relives stress.' Severus looked the small ball over and sighed.

He held it in the palm of his hand, balancing it.

'It's not working.'


	13. strange notions

A/N someone asked me how long until this story finishes. There will be loosely 9 chapters give or take to go. Maybe more maybe less (I'll try to make it less.) I do have a plan so don't worry.

Chapter 13. Strange notions

'Miss Grey!' Severus exclaimed 'if I have to hear another one of your silly notions again about who broke into my office...'

'No wait, just listen I think I have it this time!' Ellen pleaded to Snape.

'Ok what do you think this time?' He asked giving up.

'Well this conclusion would have come sooner if you had told me that Moody had searched your office before.'

'Where are you taking this?'

'Ok bare with me here, Moody searched your office to find something on you because he obviously doesn't trust you.'

'He doesn't trust anybody' he said nonchalantly. Though Severus knew perfectly well his was searched more thoroughly, Moody didn't trust him more than anybody else in the castle.

'Well that's what I thought at first but then I asked around and I found that he only looked though two other people offices and only took a brief look! Now the only thing to find out is why!' She lapsed into a thoughtful silence.

Severus could think of many reasons why, but he would never tell Ellen. His only concern was that she might find out those reasons.

'What does that poly-stuff do?' Ellen asked suddenly

'I'm sorry, poly-stuff? What is that?' Snape had no clue of what she was on about, she was mad.

'That night when it all happened you said the thing that was missing was used to make a poly-thing.'

'Oh you mean polyjuice potion.' He really wished at times she would make more sense

'Yes that's the one, what does that do?' Ellen asked. Snape looked at her strangely and sighed.

'Basically it turns a person physically into an exact copy of another person.'

'Oh ok,' Ellen didn't know what she was expecting to hear. She wasn't sure where to go from here. She was silent for a moment then said with uncertainty 'Well then, "mad eye" might not be who he says he is.'

'That's stupid' Snape answered.

The morning 2nd task came and Ellen still found no interest in watching such a thing. As she walked past Snape's office she noticed he was in their looking quite bored. Ellen walked in to see if he wanted company though she knew he wouldn't.

'What? not going to the Triwizardythingie? Where is your school spirit Severus?' She said in a phony appalled voice.

'Shut up, Karkarroff is down there and he wants to talk to me, and when that happens my nightmare will be complete.'

'Well if you ever need a diversion I'm the one to call. Remember how I got you out of that convocation at Christmas?'

'Yes, very subtle. But I don't need you to save me from my convocations.'

'Fine but the offer is always there.'

It was just after lunch and Ellen had been bombarded with books teachers wanted her to take back to the library. The pile had become heavy and high, she was having a hard time seeing over it. Quick footsteps came towards her and past some way down the hall until they stopped, turned and came back towards her. Some of the books were lifted from her grip. It was Severus looking very annoyed.

'If you see Karkaroff,' he said hurriedly ' tell him you don't know where I am. Oh but say I'm not in my office, that's where I will be.' He plonked the books in her arms again, the weight of it nearly made her fall over, and he hurried off. Ellen took a moment to recover her balance and continued her way to the library. She hadn't gone ten steps before Karkaroff came thumping down the corridor.

'Have you seen Professor Snape?' he asked hardly stopping.

'No, I think he is out on the grounds somewhere.' Ellen yelled after him. There he owed her now.

By the end of the week Severus had become very good at avoiding Karkaroff, and for that matter everybody else. No one had seen him for ages and nobody cared. Ellen had wondered where he was but she was busy and didn't think much of it because she knew he was around. One Thursday afternoon on the fifth day that Severus had disappeared from social input Dumbledore approached Ellen.

'Have you seen Severus lately?' he asked casually

'No, but he is around somewhere.'

'I know but he vanishes whenever you want to find him. Could you go find out where he is, just for interests sake, just in case.'

'Ok he shouldn't be that hard to find.'

Ellen started in the most obvious place first his office. She was surprised when he wasn't in there. Next she tried his room, it was dark and if he were in there she wouldn't have seen him. She called his name and when there was no answer she went in and looked. If he was in there he was doing a bloody good job of hiding. She went to his classroom then to any other place she could think of but there was no sign of him anywhere. She couldn't believe she couldn't find him she had seen him around so where could he be? Before she didn't care but now it was her mission out of shear curiosity to find where he was hiding.

She told Dumbledore that she couldn't find him, for the moment.

' That is interesting he can't have gone far.' He mused 'Well if he wants to be left alone we can't force him to be social, not that he ever is. I'd still like to know where he is.'

'I'll look again if you want, just so we know.'

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled behind his glasses. 'Yes do look again. Just so we know.'

Ellen had a plan of attack this time. Snape had to still be teaching or he would have disappeared completely so she waited near his classroom on Friday afternoon waiting to see where Snape went. He came out moments later looking curiously around. Ellen had positioned herself so she could see him but he wouldn't be able to see her. He turned and walked father down into the dungeons. Ellen followed at a safe distance so he didn't know she was following him. He stopped at an old door and went inside. Ellen smiled to herself, so much for disappearing. She was just about to go in and surprise him when her bracelet turned a color somebody needed her.

Ellen rushed back down to the dungeons after sending an owl for Flitwick. When she got to the door she flung it open with full intent of surprising Snape.

'Hello Ellen.' Snape said in a deadpan voice before she had a chance to surprise him.

'How did you know it was me?' Ellen asked disappointed.

'I heard you then and following me before.' Severus nodded towards her shoes. Ellen was wearing shoes with a heel and they made a noise when she walked Ellen wore them all the time and didn't notice that anymore.

'So this is where you've been hiding out then.' Ellen said looking around the deserted classroom.

' I'm not hiding' he said defensively 'I'm just…avoiding.'

'Well your doing a good job, no one seems to have noticed you've been gone, even I didn't take any notice until Dumbledore informed me.'

'Nice to know.' He said sardonically

'Anyway why here? Why not in your room or something?'

'Because in my room it is too close to you.' He said it so casually that Ellen didn't know whether he was joking or not so she chose not to comment.

'So are you planning to hide here over the weekend or are you coming out to face your demons?' She went back to the main subject.

Demons? What did she mean by demons? Snape was worried, did she know?

'I think I'll stay here.' He said worried that she knew.

'You are such a chicken.' Ellen scoffed 'you are avoiding one person's conversation! One person that is it and you need to hide out in an abandoned classroom.'

'I am not hiding!' He said furiously

'Well what are you doing then?' Ellen asked. Severus didn't answer so Ellen answered for him. 'Your being a chicken that's what.'

'I am not a "chicken".' He was fuming now. If she only knew, or did she know and was patronizing him.

'Yes you are, you're a chicken and frankly I'm disappoin- Oww!' Severus was tired of her putting him down so he pulled out his wand and set a spell on her where it jabbed her hard in the side.

'You know nothing about me or what I've been through!' he said his voice quiet and vindictive. Ellen was rubbing her side where, when she lifted up her shirt, an angry red mark showed.

'That has nothing to do with what you've been through, all whatshisface wants to do is talk to you.'

'Well I don't want to hear what he wants to say, beside I already know what he will say.'

'And what will he say?'

'None of your business, and don't even think about pestering me about it.'

The convocation seemed to stop there. Ellen wasn't going to ask him about it so she steered the convocation in another direction.

'So, what do you do here all day?' She asked staring around the cold, empty, dank classroom.

'Why do you want to know?' he asked suspiciously

'I was just wondering, this place doesn't look to… constructive.' She wandered around through the rows of old desks every couple of desks there was a cauldron with potions in them. Up on the front desk there were bottled mixtures. 'So you come don here to mix potions… exciting.'

'Shut up.'

'So are you going to hide down here over the weekend?' She said fiddling with a bottle.

'Yes, and you can either stay here and keep me company or you can bugger off.' He found her annoying and bossy but he did enjoy her company for some reason and found it hard to stay mad at her.

Ellen wondered why he wanted her to stay, she thought she had really made him mad but it seemed that she hadn't.

'Ok, lets see how boring we can make our lives get over the next 78 hours shall we.' Ellen said sitting on a table in front of him.

'Don't worry the plan is we get so drunk we won't even remember why we are here.'

A/N lets hope the chapter's start coming faster than they have been.

Don't forget to RR


	14. drinks and a parting

Chapter 14: Drinks and a parting

After that weekend Ellen became Snape's regular drinking buddy. They both got together and wallowed in silent self-pity, Ellen because she was bored and lonely and Snape because he was also lonely and he had issues which Ellen was trying to weasel out of him.

'Why are you such a sad lonely bustard?' She asked in one of their drinking sessions

'Because. That's why.'

' There has to be a reason or you would be slightly normal like the rest of us.'

'Normal? You?' he scoffed

'Shut up! Your strange and that's it, there is no way I am stranger than you.' There was a silence for some minutes 'Anyway you didn't answer my question, why are you a lonely bustard? There has to be a reason.'

'Of course there is a reason, but I'm never going to tell you. Never.'

Ellen was getting frustrated; she could always get someone's secret out of someone.

'Please you can make it my Birthday present.'

'No.' he answered automatically. Ellen left it; she'd get it sooner or later.

It was nearing Ellen's 29th Birthday and she was beginning to think she had wasted the best years of her life, though on the plus side she was one of the only people in society that knew there was a secret land of magic, other than that she hadn't really done much else. She had one year to make a life before she became a middle life spinster; which was fine but only if she had a life to go with it.

She was going to ask Dumbledore if she could leave for her birthday but as it got nearer the more work she had to do. She was constantly given letters to send by this kid called Percy for Mr. Crouch. The kid was always apologizing say that he would do it but he was so busy, and she could see he was. So there was going to be no time off for her.

It was the day before Ellen's birthday and in between jobs she was moping about.

'What's wrong with you?' Severus asked her when he spotted her.

'Nothing… well it's just that it is my birthday tomorrow.'

'I see and that's a problem for you?'

'Well not really, its just that I have those thoughts that I have accomplished nothing and never will.'

'Oh those thoughts. I'm sure,' Severus found it hard to comfort somebody but he was going to try. ' I am quite sure you have accomplished a lot and will in the future.'

Ellen thought about what he said.

' Thanks Sev, that was really sweet.' She hugged him, which was hard because he was carrying a handful of books.

Severus felt awkward this was indeed something new to him and he had this funny warm feeling inside him that he wasn't sure what it was.

Her Birthday fell on a Saturday so she had nothing much to do. She got up late, and had a long bath before she sat down in Snape's office with a book and read. She thought that at some stage he would have come in and interrupted her but he didn't, she hadn't seen him all day so far and she wondered where he was.

She managed to waste the day somehow and she found herself in mid afternoon feeling very depressed. Just before dusk Severus reappeared.

'Where have you been all day?' She demanded.

Severus put his finger to his lips.

'Get a coat and come with me.' He said shortly.

Ellen did what he said and followed him out of the dungeons and out into the night air.

'Where are we going?' she asked quite bewildered

'You will see.'

Ooh a surprise Ellen thought, or maybe he is taking me away to kill me she didn't know which but she wouldn't put either idea past him.

He led her to a patch of grass under a big oak tree that stood just before the forbidden forest it was dimly lit somehow. Underneath it sat a bottle of whisky and two glasses.

'Oh, Severus!' She exclaimed 'This is very… unlike you' Severus looked slightly embarrassed.

'Yes… well, it will stop you from complaining.'

'I didn't think a gesture of kindness was in your nature.' Ellen sat down and opened the bottle and poured them both a drink.

' No, well who knew I had nothing better to do with my time. Plus' He said sitting. 'Who knows what might happen in the future.' He looked grim. Ellen just thought he was being over dramatic.

Overall the night went well, though Ellen suspected that Severus felt uncomfortable over his gesture of kindness so she never mentioned how kind he was after that. But Ellen didn't have time to think about that, the day of the final task was upon them, and Ellen was very busy. But her work made time go past extremely fast and before she knew it, it was time for the actual event to take place. She stood in the stands and looked out onto he maze that the children had to run through. Dumbledore came up to her as he always did at these events.

'So what do you think?' He asked like he always did

'I think this is _defiantly_ a lawsuit waiting to happen.'

She left soon after a while; it was getting boring waiting for someone to come out the other end of a maze. She decided to go back to the castle knowing it was empty, it gave it a very spooky mysterious quality that it didn't have with hordes of children occupying it. Inside she walked around for a while before she went into the dungeons realizing the one person she hadn't seen, Snape. He was, as she expected, in his office looking… odd.

'Not joining in on the fun?' She asked

'No.' He said bluntly.

'Yeah it's a bit stupid this whole competition thing, it just isn't right. I know its going to end up in tragedy some how.'

Severus looked grim.

'I have a feeling that you are right.'

'I always am.' Replied Ellen

'So your not here avoiding Karkaroff again are you?'

'No he fled not long ago.'

'Fled? What from?' Ellen didn't know what he was on about

'The Dark Lord' Severus said

'The… Dark…Lord.' Ellen had heard about this dark lord character before, it sounded very science-fictional and lame but what did she know. 'Why would he flee from him?'

Severus sighed he didn't want to rehash this whole business to her, but he saw no other way of shutting her up. 'Karkaroff betrayed the Dark Lord and he knows that if he goes back to him he will pay a price, and I am sure that he will.'

'I see.' Ellen took all this in and stated putting two and two together.

'You have something to do with it because Karkaroff always sort you out in confidence. Maybe you were the only one he could talk to because… maybe you had a similar experience am I right?' Ellen hoped what she was saying was right so she hoped he'd tell her the answer just in case she wasn't.

Severus didn't know weather it was better to lie at this moment or tell he truth. He had to tell her some time now would have to be it.

'Yes you are right.'

'So you were a Dark Lord supporter then?' Ellen asked just confirming the facts.

'Yes but not for a long time now, I switched sides before he fell.'

'Well that's interesting, and it certainly explains a few things. Does everyone know?'

'Some people do only the people that need to know.'

'And that's the reason Moody doesn't trust you isn't it?'

'Yes.'

'Ok everything is making a lot more sense. So what is the deal with tonight then?'

'He is summoning his Death Eaters for… I don't know just because he is back a suppose.'

Ellen stifled a giggle. Snape shot her a dirty look

'What was that for' he asked ' this is very serious.'

'Sorry, but death eater sounds really lame.'

Severus looked venomous.

'Look anyway, should we tell Dumbledore about this Dark lord coming back?' Ellen suggested so he would stop giving her the death stare.

'Yes.'

They went out onto the grounds to find Dumbledore. He was around one of the side of the maze looking worried.

'What has happened?' Severus asked troubled

'I don't know… they have disappeared…. The trophy mush have been a portkey.' Dumbledore answered

'Well The Dark Lord has just summoned His Death Eaters.'

'Ah that makes sense.' Dumbledore said gravely. 'There is nothing we can do for the moment. We can only wait and hope.'

Everyone waited in nervous silence for about an hour before anything happened. The child Harry (as Ellen found out) returned clutching a trophy and a dead boy. She had no idea what was going on. There was a big commotion and all she could do was stand there, someone took the boy Harry away and everyone else tried to crowd around the dead boy to see what had happened. People where crowding in tight around, no one important seemed to be around like Dumbledore or McGonagall.

'Oi!' She yelled trying to get peoples attention but it didn't seem to work. Someone beside her, Bagman she thought it was, said something she couldn't hear over the commotion and pointed his wand at her. She didn't know what that was achieving so she ignored it and tried getting everyone attention again.

'OI!' she said again and this time her voice boomed thought out the makeshift stadium surprising everyone including Ellen. Everyone stopped, and looked. For a moment she was put off by this sudden attention.

'Ok Everyone,' She said regaining the authority in her voice. 'MOVE back to your SEATS! You will be informed on what has happened presently!' No one moved they just looked at her.

'OK MOVE BACK!' She yelled and grudgingly people moved back to their seats. Slowly the crowed moved back and Ellen had total control.

The next few minutes were a blur for Ellen, the parents of the dead boy came out and he was taken somewhere. Ellen wasn't sure if she could let the other people leave, and equally the people didn't know if the should leave. Professor Flitwick briefly informed her on what had happened. She summarised this even more and told it to the crowd of confused onlookers. She told them they could go but no one moved.

'Ok move off, nothing left to see here.' She said and slowly people began to move.

Severus wasn't in his office when she went to find him so she waited for him. When he did come he looked scared and worried.

'What's the matter?' she asked

'What, nothing just something I have to do.' He grabbed his cloak that was hanging on the back of his chair and was about to leave the room before he came back.

'Listen, if I don't come back…all I want to say is that… I enjoyed having you as company.'

Ellen took his hand and replied:

'Yeah me too.'

Severus kissed her quickly on the cheek and left.

Severus did come back, two days later in fact. Severus thought their next meeting was going to be an awkward one but Ellen acted like nothing had happened. She was leaving so she was glad that he did come back.

'Well its good to see that I don't have to avenge your death.'

Severus didn't answer.

'Thank god I'm off! This place is a hellhole glad to go back and live my own non-fiction life. I'll probably wake up and it will be all a dream, I hope it is a dream because I've missed a whole year. People are going to wonder where I was… oh well.'

Severus was looking awkward.

'Its not like you to be lost for words. I'll miss you and your… ness. You're a character I'll give you that. You may be the most cold, angry, witty, malevolent, kind, depressed, thoughtful, awkward, closed down person I've ever met, and you really need to rethink the length of your hair. But I like you nonetheless.'

'You' he said at last ' are the most annoying, funny, ignorant, negative, prettiest, immature, wisest, hyper-active, dullest, positive, contradictive person I have ever known and well I actually liked you… and it was a first. It been….' He couldn't think of any thing to Finnish with.

'Yes it was…. something. Good-bye Sev.' She shook his hand

'Good-bye Ellen.'

Ellen tuned and said:

'We're a bit alike you and I'

'Yes we're like two peas in a horrible pod' He answered and smiled.

Ellen smiled Then she parted. 

((A/N well that's it… I do have some more if you want it. And even if you don't want it I'll probably post it anyway. ))


	15. surprise meetings

A\N well I can't seem to stop writing this so I've done what you have all asked for… another chapter! So I guess this is part 2 of Ellen's epic adventure with a fully operational plot. Enjoy!

Chapter 15 surprise meetings

Snape was very angry and his contempt for Sirius was higher than ever. As he said to Sirius his leisure time was limited and that was true for he had another person to see on behalf of Dumbledore and that was a person he didn't expect to see again and that person was Ellen. She was half working in the Order; as she was a detective she would hear if something odd happened or there was a warning out for anyone just as Sirius had been. Severus had to see if she had found anything out. He aperated into an apartment where she lived he didn't know why he had to see her as Lupin lived in London and he could see her anytime whereas seeing her was out of his way. He looked at the piece of paper that bore her address; it read Ellen Grey apartment 13. Severus looked at the numbers on the doors but there was no apartment 13 only apartments 12a and 12b. He looked at both the doors behind one he could hear some sort of loud music and behind the other nothing but silence. He tried 12a first, the quiet apartment. He knocked.

'What?' an old lady poked her head around the door. 'Your not a Mormon are you?' She asked suspiciously looking at his black robes.

'No… Does Ellen live here?'

'No, she lives next door. If your going to see her tell her to turn down that damn music some of us are trying to watch their stories.' The old woman looked at him suspiciously again before she slammed the door in his face.

He knocked on the door of 12b, no one answered. He knocked again, still nothing. She had to be in there because of the music. Severus opened the door himself, Ellen was sitting in an armchair reading a book. She hadn't noticed him. He cleared his throat as loud as he could to get over the music. Ellen jumped and turned her head towards the source of the new noise.

'What the Fu-? Oh, it's you…' he was the last person she was ever going to expect to come to her home. 'What are you doing here? And how did you get in?' She demanded turning down the music with its remote.

'I have my ways.'

'Well you should knock instead of scaring the crap out of me.'

'I did knock, several times.'

'Oh, right then.' She got up she wasn't expecting company and more to the point she wasn't expecting to see him. 'I wasn't expecting to see you ever again.'

'Neither did I.'

'So is there any reason why you are here?' Ellen asked still bemused by his presence. Snape cleared his throat again.

'Just business, Dumbledore asked me to ask you if you have seen or herd anything out of the ordinary anything that could have come out of our world.'

Ellen stood there just looking at him. 'That's it?' She asked

'Yes.' Severus answered simply.

'Well there has been just one thing…' Ellen remembered and retreated into another room, Severus heard a draw opening and Ellen returned smoothing a crumpled piece of paper. ' I don't know if this means anything to you…?' She asked handing him the paper. It was a reward poster for a large black hairy dog, the reward being 80000pounds. 'Its just that why would anybody want that dog back so badly? And want to pay that much? Plus I thought it could be that man that turns into a dog but I wasn't to sure.'

Snape looked the piece of paper over it was defiantly Sirius. He crumpled it in his hand. He was glad he had already spoken to him about his goings out he had no desire to see him so quickly again.

Ellen watched him carefully something was on his mind.

' It wasn't any help then?' she asked after he crushed it.

'What? Oh no it helped. Thank you.' He turned to go.

'Would you like a drink? I was just about to have one.' Ellen offered. she wondered whether he would accept she wouldn't mind talking to him.

'Err…-' Snape wasn't sure if he should but he did want to.

'C'mon for old times sake.' She decided she did want him to stay.

'Fine.' He sighed, but deep down he was relieved.

'Ok then great.' Ellen jumped up and went to a bottom cupboard in the kitchen on the left of where Severus was standing near the door. He heard her muttering as she went though it ' Ok I have… vodka, oh a full bottle! … Whisky…oh not much left… Something… and something else that may be baileys…'

'Ok whatever… whatever your having.' He was starting to reconsider going back.

'Vodka it is then!' She pulled the bottle out and took two glasses off a shelf and set them down on the coffee table in front of the blue armchair she was sitting in before. 'Come sit down. you look like you want to escape.' Severus hesitated then sat down on the couch opposite where she was sitting. Ellen poured him out a drink. They soon realised they had nothing to talk about.

'So how are things with you?' Ellen asked trying to get a convocation going.

'Horrible as usual.' Came Snape's blunt reply. 'How have you been?' he asked but didn't really seem to care.

'Oh well I've been working really hard today was one of my only days off this week… and that's basically it.' Ellen finished and they lapsed into silence. Snape was subtly watching her; he could see that she was trying to think of something to say. Just as Severus was thinking this Ellen's eyes widened as if she had just remembered something important, and she had.

'SHIT! Shit, shit, shit, shit.' She said springing up and opening her diary to today's page. 'SHIT! How could I forget?'

'What's happened?' Severus wondered what she was on about.

'I just remembered that I'm hosting a dinner party tonight with Jane and two couples from work.'

'How could you forget a thing like that?' He inquired

'I don't know, I don't know.'

'Why don't you just cancel?' He asked not knowing why this was a big deal.

'Because this has been planned for months! That's why!' Ellen yelled 'Ok what do I do?' She took a long swig from the bottle of vodka. 'What should I do?' She asked but not necessarily to Severus. Then her telephone started to ring.

'Yes?' She answered a bit flustered. It was Jane.

'You've forgotten haven't you?' Jane stated.

'How…' Ellen answered embarrassed

'Oh well it doesn't matter just get some Chinese food. No body cares .Oh and by the way I'm bringing my new boyfriend around to meet you. He is a little strange but really nice I think you will like him.

'Oh could you bring some more wine with you?'

'Ok See you soon. Bye.' Jane hung up

Ellen slowly hung up the phone. 'Well its all good.' Ellen said to Snape very unenthusiastically.

'But?' he knew something else was bothering her.

'Oh nothing its just that I'll be the only single person.'

'So?' That didn't sound too bad

'You really don't know anything do you? Being alone leaves you open to questions about your love life and all personal questions that they wouldn't ask if you had a date.'

'Whatever,' Severus had no idea what all this meant and was starting to think that he should go. 'I should go if you going to have people around.' He got up to go.

'Wait! Wait wait. Could you stay? I mean as a friend, I think it might be less embarrassing to have you as my date-friend than not having anyone at all.'

'You've had to much to drink, goodbye.' This was defiantly not what she wanted Severus thought.

'No no wait, please just for a couple of hours you don't have to do anything just answer some questions about yourself.'

'First of all I don't want to meet your friends or explain myself to them. Second of all how would you explain me? And third of all this idea is stupid.'

'Right, your right, it's a stupid idea. Sorry nice to see you again…' She was crestfallen. 'You could almost look normal if… no, no go.' She started again almost hoping that he would stay.

'Look' He said ' I'm not stupid, I know you want me to stay and…' he gestured awkwardly 'lie for your absence of male company. But I'm am not the right person for this, and you would have to make up a whole history for me.'

'I can do that.' Ellen said starting to get excited. 'Its not like you're going to ever see these people again.'

There was a long pause.

'Fine I'll do it… I don't know why but I will.'

'Ok' said Ellen Standing in front of him. 'I just realised that what you are wearing under that is a waistcoat. Stand up.'

Severus did what he was told cursing himself that he should have left when he had the chance. He was becoming too soft towards her.

Ellen removed his robes. 'Now it just looks like you really like black… it'll have to do.'

There was a buzz and Ellen went over and pressed a button in the wall and had convocation into it.

'Just try t to be as normal as possible… if that is possible.'

The door opened and Jane and her date came in.

'Remus?' Ellen exclaimed seeing who Jane's date was.

'Ellen!' Lupin said with a warm smile

'Lupin.' Snape said casually with a hint of dislike

'Snape.' Remus added in much the same tone.

'Wait, wait you all know each other?' Jane butted in looking bemused.

'Briefly, yes.' Ellen said she was wondering how long it would take for Jane to comment on Snape who she wished wasn't standing there, it wasn't because she didn't want him to stay it was the fact that he was wearing his robes and he did not fit in. Jane was staring at Severus so Ellen had to introduce them.

'Err, Jane this is my friend Severus.'

'Oh hi are you staying for dinner?' Jane asked she put two bottles of wine on the counter. Snape was about to answer when Ellen butted in.

'Yes he is.' She didn't want him to go just yet even know the night was going to be awkward.

A/n well I'm up to 5 pages and over 1000 words so I think the end of the chapter is in order. Would you like to see how this plays out or do you want me to cut to the chase?

I'll end up probably doing the latter. And the nest chapter WILL come.


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